


Don't You Cry No More

by rk_deviant_800



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: AP700 is named 'Austin', Angst, Carl dies, Carl has three sons, Character Death, Get your tissues ready, Li was listening to sad songs again, Other, im not crying youre crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 21:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17609717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rk_deviant_800/pseuds/rk_deviant_800
Summary: Carl's time is almost up, but before he goes, he shares a moment with his sons.





	Don't You Cry No More

**Author's Note:**

> Song: Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas (used in Supernatural)

Things were peaceful. The revolution was won. Androids were free. Markus was finally home and so was Leo after a month of rehabilitation. Things were slowly looking up for the Manfred family until one morning. Leo and Markus were in the living area together. Leo was keeping himself busy with a book while Markus looked through some paperwork for a future meeting. It was quiet save for the sound of Leo turning the pages in his book and Markus’s pen scratching when he went to write. Another quiet minute passed before Austin, the AP700, that was caring for Carl in Markus’s stead came hurriedly down the stairs, his LED flickering between yellow and red.

“Markus, Leo, Carl wants to see you. Now.” he called, urgency in his voice.

The pen in Markus’s hand fell on to the desk with a clatter as Leo set his book aside. The two stood up and headed to the stairs where Austin waited.

“Is something wrong? Did something happen?” Markus asked, following the other android up the stairs with Leo trailing behind.

Austin paused at the top of the stairs, his breath hitching for a moment.

“He…He said it won’t be long until he…” Austin answered, trailing off.

Markus’s eyes widened while Leo stood in shocked silence. They said no more and practically bolted to Carl’s room. When they walked in, they found Carl sitting up in bed and reclining against a pile of soft pillows. A ray of sunlight stream through the window and fell perfectly on him. Off to the side, the machines monitoring his vitals hummed softly. With a lift of his frail and shaking hand, Carl beckoned the two to come sit with him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. As Leo and Markus settled on either side of Carl’s bed, Austin turned to leave. Carl caught sight of that and chuckled.

“And where do you think you’re going?” the old painter rasped.

Austin paused at the door way and turned around, cheeks dusted blue.

“I…This is a family moment. I didn’t want to intrude.” he answered.

“Who says you’re not family? You are my son as much as these two are. Come on, don’t be shy.” Carl replied with a beckoning hand.

Letting go of the door knob, Austin timidly sat down beside Leo. Silence fell over them for a moment as Carl looked at their faces one by one with a smile. He felt sad to leave them like this, especially when he just finally managed to rebuild as much of his family as he could. Gathering his thoughts, he breathed out shakily and began speaking.

“My boys…You’ve all come so far. I’m so proud of all of you. I only wish I could stay a little longer. There’s still so much of your potentials I’ve yet to see.” Carl started.

Three pairs of eyes stared at him, all holding shock and confusion. When they said nothing, Carl continued.

“You’ve all grown and I’m proud to have been there to see it. I do hope you all keep growing even when I’m gone.” the old painter added.

“Wait. When you’re gone? Dad, what are you talking about?” Leo cut in.

While Leo looked on in confusion along with Austin, Markus was struggling to compose himself. He’d been around long enough to know what that meant. He and Carl had been through several conversations about what was going to happen after Carl was gone. He knew what the old man meant, and he didn’t like it. It hurt like a knife to the gut. He didn’t want him to go yet. He didn’t want it to be over. He wasn’t ready for Carl to go.

“I’m old now, son. Besides, the doctors said it won’t be long now.” Carl answered, bringing Markus out of his thoughts.

“Has…Has it really been three months since they told you?” Leo asked, feeling his heart pound with dread.

Carl nodded weakly. Markus hated that he could scan his vitals and see them steadily dropping.

“Carl…I…” Markus started but the words stuck in his throat.

“Go on, my boy. What do you have to say?” Carl encouraged.

Just listening to his voice growing weaker made the dam break and tears streak down Markus’s eyes. His own hands find Carl’s fragile ones. He can’t accept it. He doesn’t _want_ to accept it. With a choke voice, he replies to Carl.

“I…I don’t want you to go!” he admits with a wail as more tears stain his face.

With all the strength left in him, Carl squeezes Markus’s hands. He can’t bear to see his son, the same one who risked his life for his own people’s freedom, cry and fall apart.

“Oh, Markus. I don’t want to go either but, sooner or later you’ll have to learn to live on without me.” Carl answered, sadness clouding his eyes.

“But I can’t. I-I need you!”

And with that, Markus threw his arms around Carl as if that could keep the old man from leaving the land of the living. Wordlessly, the other two joined in on the hug and Carl wrapped his arms around all of them. He didn’t want to leave them either. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. When the hug broke, Carl remembered an old song that he grew fond of growing up. He had sung it to Leo during his early years with him. He completely forgot about it when Leo left but it was brought up back up when Markus joined the family. He still had memories of listening to Markus faintly humming the song from the kitchen or the studio. He also had memories of Markus sitting at the piano bench and teaching himself to play the song. Carl smiled at that and his frail, shaky, hands found all three of his sons’ own. Then the room filled with his broken, fading voice.

_Carry on my wayward son…_

_There’ll be peace when you are done…_

_Lay your weary head to rest…_

_Don’t you cry no more_

Markus nearly sobbed as the last few notes left the old painter’s lips. Aside from the hymnal he sang on the night he set his people free, this was his favorite song. Long before he deviated, he often found himself humming the tune and it never failed to make him smile. With an aching heart and a sad smile, he joined in on the song.

_Once I rose above the noise confusion,_

_Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion._

_I was soaring ever higher_

_But I flew too high._

Quietly, Leo picked up where Markus trailed off. He never did forget that song. It always echoed in the back of his mind even during his red hazes.

_Though my eyes could see_

_I still was a blind man._

_Though my mind could think_

_I still was a mad man._

_I hear the voices when I’m dreaming_

_I can hear them say._

Then the whole room filled with all four of their voices singing along. Though to Austin it was somewhat new, he somehow felt that he should join in. Carl was right. He was family. He had been treated with much more kindness here than the hospital he used to be at. He was glad to have met Carl. He was glad to have met Markus and Leo. So this is what family felt like.

_Carry on my wayward son…_

_There’ll be peace when you are done…_

_Lay your weary head to rest…_

_Don’t you cry no more_

When the singing died down, Carl found all three of his sons’ again as he felt himself slowly slipping away. His fading eyes looked up at all three of them. Each pair of eyes now brimmed with tears. A small smile tugged at his lips again as he gazed at their faces once last time. Then he spoke to them one last time, his voice shaky and weakening.

“Take…Take care of each other, ok? Be strong. Not only for me, but yourselves and for each other. I love you all, my boys.”

Then the piercing, deafening sound of the flatline filled the space where their song once was. That was it. Carl…Carl was gone. His eyes were shut, and a peaceful look graced his features along with a small gentle smile. A sob tore out of Markus first as he clung onto Carl’s now lifeless body. Leo rounded the bed and pulled Markus into his arms, letting him cry on his shoulder in while he too mourned the loss of his father. The AP700 remained on the other side, sobbing into the old man’s shoulder. As they all mourned, they could somehow still hear a faint voice singing to them.

_Carry on my wayward son…_

_There’ll be peace when you are done…_

_Lay your weary head to rest…_

_Don’t you cry no more_

 

**Author's Note:**

> this is so sad alexa play despacito


End file.
